New Delhi [India], May 30 (HBTV): Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has welcomed the Cabinet decision approving caste enumeration in the forthcoming census, calling it a step that will turn social justice and data-based good governance into a reality.

In a post on X, Adityanath stated: ‘The decision of CCPA under the leadership of Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi ji to include caste census in the upcoming census in the overall interest of 140 crore countrymen is unprecedented and welcome.’

The Chief Minister described the move as a decisive initiative aimed at ensuring proper recognition and fair participation of deprived, backward, and neglected sections in government schemes. ‘Heartfelt gratitude to the respected Prime Minister, under whose leadership the BJP government has taken this historic decision to transform social justice and data-based good governance into reality,’ he added.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami also praised the decision, calling it a revolutionary measure for achieving social equality, dignity, and justice.

‘Congress opposed caste census for decades and always tried to shine its politics on this issue. The biggest example of this is that a caste census was never conducted to date after independence. Congress used them only as a vote bank by promoting division among castes,’ Dhami posted on X.

He added: ‘Today, under the leadership of the respected Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi ji, the Central Government has taken a historic decision, in which caste census will be included in the census process. This decision is not only an important step towards bringing the backward classes of the society into the mainstream but it is also a revolutionary step towards ensuring social equality, respect and justice.’

In a significant development, the government on Wednesday announced that caste enumeration will be included in the upcoming national census.

Briefing the media on the Union Cabinet’s decisions, Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw noted that while some states have conducted caste surveys, conducting a national census falls under the central government’s domain.

He said the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs (CCPA) had decided to include caste enumeration in the forthcoming census.

Vaishnaw also criticised previous Congress governments, stating: ‘Caste was not included in all the census operations conducted since independence. In 2010, the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh ji had assured the Lok Sabha that the matter of caste census would be considered in the cabinet. A group of ministers was formed to consider this subject. Most political parties recommended a caste census. Despite this, the Congress government decided to conduct only a survey of caste instead of a census. That survey is known as SECC.’

(ANI)